


Slowly But Surely

by Jessica0132



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:46:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28233384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jessica0132/pseuds/Jessica0132
Summary: When the pandemic almost completely shuts down Riverdale, Jughead and Betty realize how much they value the other.
Relationships: Betty Cooper & Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Slowly But Surely

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, song and tv show references, or places mentioned. Also, I haven’t felt inspired to write for 15 years so this was an unexpected surprise. I’m definitely rusty, but I had fun writing this. I hope y’all enjoy!

When a quarantine became mandatory for the people of Riverdale, stories for The Register newspaper slowed to a trickle. While there was plenty to update the town about their neighbors in the surrounding cities, their small town only had a handful of reported cases with COVID-19. Thus became the increase in food and package deliveries.

Betty Cooper, being one of the newly unemployed from The Register, regardless of blood ties, had to seek employment elsewhere. Though there was obviously a limit to what she could do under the regulations of the town’s quarantine, she knew she still had to save for college or she could never leave this town. Her time at home also was starting to suffocate her with each passing day.

Betty was mindlessly scrolling through jobs she knew her mother would absolutely forbid her from taking. She obviously didn’t have any training in the jobs that would be the most helpful during this time anyway. As her frustration continued to grow, her thumb finally settled on a job. A job that was so simple, could be of help to those who may feel nervous going into town, and a way to help local food businesses. Food Fast, the delivery service for subscribed restaurants.

Betty quickly looked at all the requirements. Car ownership, check. Background check no problem. After reading all the fine print, she applied and was excited to see as soon as her background check cleared, as well as the arrival of her blue bag and card in the mail, she would be good to go. With a little bit of hope finally on the horizon, Betty started glancing through which restaurants were partnered with them and was pleased to see she knew most of the places and some of their staff already.

If she were being honest with herself, she was anticipating her interactions mainly with Jughead Jones, one of the three employees left considered to be essential. Right before the city (really, the world) shut down, Betty and Jughead’s friendship had started shifting. Nothing outrageous, though Kevin would love to hear if it was. Small excuses given to see each other, longer nights discussing the latest film at the Bijou, sitting closer in the booth at Pop’s afterwards. She hadn’t smiled so much in her life as she had the past few months.

-

A week and a half later, Betty’s excitement upon receiving her items quickly diminished when she realized half of her time would be spent waiting for a time slot to open. Apparently everyone else recently unemployed had the same idea as her to work for Food Fast. Biting back the scream of frustration for the third time that day, she watched the pink area revert back to clear, indicating it was no longer busy, as soon as she buckled herself in her seat. After debating on whether or not she should just go back inside, Betty decided to make her way towards Pop’s on the off chance she could snag an order that might pop up at the last minute. And if Jughead was working, that would be just the cherry on top.

Pulling in, Betty felt the butterflies start in her stomach when she noticed his motorcycle in the otherwise empty parking lot. It had been about two weeks since they had seen each other since the quarantine, sure, they still sent each other memes and she checked on him and his family regularly, but it wasn’t the same as being in person together. She pulled her ponytail tight, almost self consciously to sooth her nerves and checked her phone once again. An order came through! Not that it was a great tip or anything, just a measly $1.50, but at least it gave her the excuse to talk with Jughead.

After hitting accept, she put on her mask and grabbed her bright blue Food Fast bag, double checking she didn’t need a drink carrier. One last deep breath and she got out of car, shaking off the last of her nerves.

Betty quickly opened the entrance door as a gust of cool hair blew against her neck. The ring of the bell above the door announced her presence to the empty diner.

“Be with you in a sec!” she heard Jughead’s voice call from the back.

“No rush, it’s just me, Betty!” her raised voice louder than normal to be heard from behind her mask.

Betty spotted the hand sanitizer bottle on the counter and walked over to squirt some on her hands. Looking around, she noticed that even though tables were blocked off, the neon lights were still glaring brightly around the room as if it was just a slow night and not lunch rush time.

Betty turned when she heard footsteps quickly approaching from the kitchen.

“Hey Betts! It’s been a while, I assume you’re here to pick up the cheese fries for Josie?” Jughead nodded towards the blue bag in her hand, dropping a bag on the counter to remove his gloves and rub his hands together with hand sanitizer. He seemed like he had an internal debate on whether or not to go to her, and just shrugged apologetically towards the new protective plastic screens put up dividing them.

“This whole pandemic is so unexpected, I can’t remember the last time we went without seeing each other longer than a weekend. I didn’t realize how much food I’d have all to myself without you around.” She teased gently, unzipping her blue bag.

“Is food really more important to you than my quick witted sarcasm and charming personality? I guess you never really know a person.” Jughead sagged his shoulders dramatically. He turned towards the counter where he had brought the food out earlier.

“Oh please, you know I would be jumping to give you a hug if social distancing wasn’t a thing. Have you had many orders come through today?” She watched him bag up the order with utensils.

“We had a handful of door dash orders that Kevin and Ethel came and picked up, but more carry out orders that people came to get themselves. Enough to make the day go by quickly at least.” Jughead said, placing the bag through the opening of the plastic screen.

“Is it just you today?” Betty reached for the bag to zip up in her blue one, wanting to linger for a little while longer, though knowing she needed to go while the food was fresh.

“Just another half hour. Pop usually comes in at 12:30 and stays late. I’m here till around 2 today. Is this your last—.” Jughead was cut off by the phone ringing. He looked at her apologetically before walking over to answer the phone.

Knowing there was a time crunch, Betty begrudgingly waved goodbye and walked out the door with one final glance back.

-

Jughead watched Betty leave with her perfectly curled ponytail bouncing lightly, while finishing up the phone call with Dilton Dooley. He wondered if they would ever get to spend more than fleeting moments together during this pandemic. He supposed he was lucky enough to get the brief encounters that he did. He wasn’t sure when his feelings towards her changed. The song “If the World Was Ending” briefly came to mind.

The unknowns with this virus put many things into perspective for Jughead, one of them being taking his writing more seriously and not wasting this extra time he was given to figure out his future. Another surprisingly, though maybe not to those who had watched their friendship develop over the past few months, was that Betty was the most important person in his life. He wanted to make sure she knew that, regardless of what his hopes or expectations may be.

The abandoned child in him demanded he make her place in his life more permanent than it was. He just wasn’t sure if she felt the same. At this point, he needed to decide something because tomorrow wasn’t promised. This wasn’t something he could live with himself gambling on.

-

After lucking out with three other deliveries before the lunch rush was over, Betty pulled her mask off once she got in her car to check her tip total. $24 including base for an hour and a half wasn’t terrible, but at least covered gas for later. 

Betty started to put her car in reverse to leave Chuck’s house, before remembering that Jughead said he would be at Pop’s till 2. After glancing quickly at the clock, she realized she would be able to get there with 20 minutes to spare. Needing a valid reason to be going back, she called to order a milkshake to go, only to be mildly disappointed to hear Pop pick up on the other side. His cheerful greeting quickly erased any negativity she had.

After she got off the phone, she put the car in gear and took no time at all before she pulled up, just in time to see him putting on his helmet.

Jughead turned to look at her as she got out of the car.

“Another delivery?” He pulled his helmet off before grabbing his mask.

“I’m actually here for something sweet. Milkshake, that is.” She blushed a little, glad that her mask was able to hide her warm cheeks.

“I know we can’t hang out like we normally do, but whenever you get home later, do you want to watch a movie together, but on zoom?” He rushed through his question as if he had been holding it in since their first interaction earlier. He cleared his throat and seemed more focused on placing his helmet back on his bike before turning to face her.

“I would love that Juggie. I’ll let you know when I’m headed home to give you a heads up. Since I chose our last viewing and you weren’t too fond of it, how about you look up something that you think has more taste?” She teased him in reference to her suggestion that they watch Tiger King.

“I thought you knew me better than that, Betts. There’s some refining to do to your mental palate that’s for sure. Don’t worry about tonight’s selection.” He laughed while grabbing his helmet again.

“What? You love a good conspiracy! We have to figure out if she really killed her husband!” Betty retorted, half seriously.

“You could always do your own investigation if you’re that passionate. Not sure how far you can get with everything shut down, but I’m sure some there’s a community online whose sole purpose in life is to find out this very answer.” He started fiddling with the strap on the helmet as if he was hesitant to finish what he wanted to say.

“Jughead?” Betty hesitantly took a step forward before reminding herself she couldn’t go to him.

“Joking aside, with everything going on and how unsure everything seems to be moving forward, I-.” He cut himself off before taking a breath, looking up from the strap to lock eyes with her.

She felt her heart skip a beat and suddenly her hands felt a little clammy. She didn’t want to interrupt his train of thought. It suddenly seemed more important to freeze so as not to trigger anything.

“I want you to know that you’re one of the most important people, if not the most, in my life. And - and once this goes back to normal or a vaccine comes out, whatever, I want to be more intentional with you. In a more than friendship kind of way. Whatever that looks like, if - if you feel the same way. And want it to. Or we can just awkwardly laugh this off and -“

Betty quickly interrupted him before he could start the train of self criticism, his moment of vulnerability inspiring her to be bold.

“I have been wanting this for a while, Jug, I don’t know when it happened, but slowly you also became the most important person in my life. Almost as if the day is better because I have you to look forward to. I’m in this with you, Juggie, whatever it looks like. I’m in.” She bit her lip to help her focus on the pain instead of the tears she felt welling up.

Jughead dropped his helmet and took a few steps towards her, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He stopped himself when he realized he was getting about 7 feet away and balled up his hands in frustration.

“The next time I can touch you, Betty Cooper, nothing will stop me from knowing you fully. So these next few days, weeks, months, help me know your mind and heart even more than I already do. I don’t want to have to keep holding back in fear anymore and I want to be a safe place for you.” He just stopped talking and let his eyes caress her face almost in awe, as if he couldn’t believe she felt the same. As if she was the most precious thing to him.

Betty felt the intensity starting to get overwhelming with no outlet in sight for the both of them, if his deep breathing proved to mean the same as her racing heart after such a declaration.

“I trust you completely to see all the sides of Betty Cooper, though you know me well enough that it’s not all pink and polished. Come to think of it, there are other uses for Zoom other than movie watching. I think I’ll end my shift early if you’re open to exploring our options in getting to know each other on another level.” She hinted tentatively.

His grin, though hidden behind his mask, was wide enough for his eyes to squint at her in delight.

“Go drink your milkshake and hurry home.” He responded before picking up his helmet while walking backwards to his bike.

“I think I’ll enjoy it more with you watching me drink it.” She winked before she lost her nerve turning and heading to the entrance quickly.

She heard his engine rev up loudly behind her before tearing off in a hurry towards the southside. She grinned to herself in glee, fighting back a childish squeal with the new knowledge that Jughead Jones actually wanted her. And he would have her, completely.

The End


End file.
